Cell
by is that a grindylow
Summary: Hermione and Draco are trapped together, but how long until one of them can't take it anymore? How long until what they've been used to for the past few weeks suddenly changes? Can one live without the other? One shot.


_**Disclaimer -**__I do not own Harry Potter. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., Bloomsbury, and Scholastic, respectively. All original characters are products of the author. Copyright infringement is not intended._

"If you could be any animal, what would you be?" Hermione mumbled sleepily. Draco saw her eyes droop with exhaustion and smiling slightly at the odd question, he nudged her from his shoulder to keep her awake.

"Don't go to sleep, Granger" he whispered. "Come on, you can do this. What, you can stay up for 24 hours studying in the library and can't stay up now?" he said snickering softly. At that remark, Hermione pushed herself off his shoulder and leant her head back against the wall. Her eyes opened and Draco watched as she squinted to make them adjust to the darkness. She turned to him and turned up the corners of her mouth in an attempt to smile.

Draco reached up and touched her cheek and brushed away some of the unmanageable frizz that had started to fall around her face. Chuckling, he answered the silly question she had just asked. "If I were to be an animal… I would be a snake" he said decisively. Hermione snorted in laughter and rolled her eyes. "How predictable! The Slytherin prince wants to be a snake" she remarked sarcastically. Resting her head on his thighs and stretching out her legs as much as she could, she gazed up at Draco's unmistakeable silhouette. She could see glimpses of platinum hair that was typical of anyone in the Malfoy family and could slightly make out his sharp features looking down at her.

"Snakes are cunning and smart. No one messes around with a snake… Don't tell me, you would like to be a lion? Brave and loyal to your pride" he said with a mocking tone. Hermione snorted again. Although he may have been the Slytherin prince, she certainly wasn't the Gryffindor princess. She assumed that title was occupied by someone else; maybe it would be taken by someone who was popular, funny or pretty. Or all three. Sighing, in a bored tone she said, "I would be a cat." Ignoring Draco's snigger, she carried on, "Crookshanks has a lovely life. He sleeps a lot, and the only thing he has to worry about is catching spiders."

"But Crookshanks is half-Kneazle" Draco protested. "You technically want to be half-Kneazle." Draco wondered why he was taking this so seriously as it was only a trivial question. He felt Hermione shrug her shoulders and the motion against his lower half sent shivers up his spine. Adjusting her so she was nestled into his chest, he decided it was his turn to ask a question.

"My turn to ask a question now" he murmured while stroking a sleepy Hermione's hair. "If you could change anything for one day, what would it be?" He waited in anticipation to hear her answer.

Hermione's mind was whirling with thoughts and possible ways to respond. It was slightly more deep and philosophical than her question, but then she supposed Draco wasn't really one for pointless conversations; they all had to have some sort of meaning. She considered his question for about five minutes until the increased tapping against her hand signified his impatience.

"I think I would like you to experience being a Muggle" Hermione finally replied. Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise; he had expected her to say something slightly more morbid or something not to do with him at all. Keeping his mouth closed, he let her carry on and explain her response.

"We could lie on the couch and watch television… watch the soaps… eat mint chocolate chip ice cream… then maybe take a walk in the park. You would be able to see that we're all human beings. Of course we aren't all magic… but we have the same skin, the same anatomy, the same bones… everything that defines Muggles also defines Wizards. There is only a slight change in the DNA that makes us what we are. You could see how we make delicious foods and delicate flowers grow without magic. You could see how advanced our sciences are without the need for spells and potions…" Hermione carried on talking excitedly and seeming oblivious to Draco's baffled expression. He tried to ignore all the unfamiliar words and attempted to absorb this suddenly passionate speech. Surely she realised he had long forgotten all his past prejudices? As if on cue, Hermione interrupted his thoughts, "Draco, I know you don't care about blood status anymore. I know that. But, don't you think it would be wonderful to see how the other half live?"

Although it was dark, Draco could see Hermione's face upturned towards his own and imagined there would be excitement sparkling in her eyes. She grasped on to his shoulders and pulled herself so she was sat on his lap. Draco moved his hands towards her face and leaned his forehead towards hers.

"It would certainly be… interesting" he said quietly. Hermione chuckled and twisted round to rest her head on his shoulder.

"I hope… I hope one day you can experience it. Not being a Muggle of course; that's impossible. But, one day will you let me take you into Muggle London? Just give it a chance" she pleaded.

Draco smiled into the darkness and nodded, knowing that Hermione would feel the motion since she had her head on his shoulder. He knew that realistically, him going into Muggle London would never happen. He just thanked Merlin that she hadn't made him promise.

He hated promises and he was all too acquainted with breaking them. He had failed his promise to his father to make the name 'Malfoy' respectable again. He had failed his promise to the Dark Lord to kill Dumbledore. This seemingly insignificant promise would have been the tip of the iceberg. Thank Merlin she hadn't made him promise.

She nuzzled into his neck and he felt her lips pressing kisses against it. He sighed in pleasure and turned towards her head so that their lips met. He leaned into her and their lips moulded perfectly together like a jigsaw. Closing his eyes, he gently pulled her closer towards him until he was even more pressed against the wall. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her lips felt as soft as rose petals. As he tipped his head more towards her, his fringe also fell slightly and went into her eyes.

Hermione pulled back with a giggle and scratched her nose. "That tickled" she grinned. Draco smiled and hugged her towards him again. Her hand pushed back his fringe and Hermione nestled into his toned chest. Running her fingers up and down his forearm, she became silent. As Draco was about to ask if she was okay, she spoke.

"Do you think we'll ever get out of here?" she whispered. "It's so hard to stay positive… we've been here for… well I've lost track of time now" she sighed. "The Ministry's new regime is pathetic; just because a Pureblood and a Muggle born love each other, we have to be put in this stupid cell. Do they really think our feelings for each other will keep us alive? It's like the Muggle witch trials all over again!" she growled.

Draco sighed at the question which had already been repeatedly asked. Patiently, he tried to answer her again. "Hermione, that's the point. They know an emotion between two people can't keep you alive." He heard her starting to protest, so he quickly added, "Yes, I know Potter's mother's love protected him. But this is different. His mother was protecting him from a Killing Curse so it was possible for him to stay alive. We are going to die by more… Muggle techniques. Exhaustion… starvation… eventual death" he sighed. He felt tears soaking his shirt and slowly took Hermione's face in his calloused hands and attempted to wipe away the sadness and anguish.

"We won't be here much longer" he lied. "I can feel it, you know. I can feel it here" he said, motioning to where his heart was.

They sat in silence for Merlin knows how long. The cell was damp and dark, and the cold was harsh and unforgiving. Draco pulled Hermione closer and glanced down to check she was still awake. Thankfully, her eyes were still open and they were staring blankly towards the wall opposite them. He never really regretted that he started this relationship with Hermione. A Malfoy had no regrets, only mistakes. But he had neither. He was now in jail, but he was with the one he loved. He would die young at only 22 years old… but with the one he loved. A Muggle saying came to his mind. 'Every cloud has a silver lining'. Hermione was his silver lining and he was the stormy rain cloud. She was the precious shiny jewel to his previously dull and emotionless life.

They had had a blissful 2 years together before all this had started. The Ministry was still full of Voldemort sympathiser's years after his demise, however he and Hermione had been working to overhaul this and bring back the old Ministry of Magic, the more democratic one. Although they had originally disliked each other, they hoped the Wizarding public would be inspired to see a Pureblood and a Muggle born working together for a good cause. As they fell in love, they became more passionate about changing the Ministry for the better. Unfortunately it had the opposite effect and the new Minister felt they needed to bring the Wizarding world back to basics and make sure the various families stayed within their own blood status. Coincidentally, the Minister was also a previous supporter of Voldemort's ideals. So almost a month ago, the corrupted Wizengamot had placed he, famous Death Eater Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, one third of the Golden Trio, into an underground cell.

The small mercy was the fact that it wasn't Azkaban. The Ministry had taken into account the fact they hadn't committed extremely heinous crimes, they had just fallen in love. It's just it was with the wrong person.

Draco inwardly rolled his eyes. How could someone fall in love with the wrong person? It was all fate wasn't it? Destiny and all that.

Stroking Hermione's cheek, she softly started to sing. "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts, Teach us something please,Whether we be old and bald…" Draco smiled at her spontaneous tune and joined in with his own dulcet tones. "Or young with scabby knees, Our heads could do with filling,With some interesting stuff…" They continued on like that until their voices were hoarse and they were both shouting it out, each with their own memories filling their mind.

Draco was thinking of the infamous Slytherin parties, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle, Snape's favouritism of him, Potions class, the crazy Trelawney, that oaf of a Gamekeeper… he zoned out and got lost in his mind, remembering Hogwarts.

Hermione was thinking of the Gryffindor common room, the Quidditch celebration parties, Harry, Ron, Ginny, the Weasley's, The Burrow, the library, the dusty books, the fragile pages quivering beneath her fingers… she got lost in a haze of memories.

Sometime later, Hermione stood up and started pacing. Her feet had pins and needles and she started stamping her feet and jogging in place to try and get rid of it. Hearing chuckling coming from the corner of the room, she turned towards the noise and scowled. "What are you laughing at? I have pins and needles!" she pouted. Hearing movement, she felt Draco's arms around her waist suddenly.

"Me too" he said with amusement in his voice. Together, they stamped out the numbness and laughed as they gripped on to each other as they struck up a rhythm with their feet going together in time.

Draco was glad such simple entertainment kept their spirits high. If he was alone he imagined he would have gone mad. He laughed even more imagining his younger self sneering at him for keeping company with Hermione and enjoying such frivolous things.

The bang of a door distantly opening stopped them and Hermione ran towards their corner of the wall. "That's the guard's door. He'll be here in a second. Why is he here?" she whispered quickly. He frowned and ignoring her question, he took a defensive stance in front of her and wished he had his wand on him. Damn them for taking their wands from him and Hermione. They may aswell have ripped off a limb… but then again.

Suddenly the doorknob turned and Draco tensed, trying not to listen to Hermione's panicked breathing in the corner. He so wanted to comfort her.

The door banged open and as dim light filtered in to the dirty cell, Draco could see a guard standing there, leaning against the doorframe with a smug look on his face.

"Well, well, well. Hope I wasn't interrupting anything" he said, glaring as Hermione gathered herself and stood up next to Draco with anger burning in her eyes.

"Let us out you foul man!" she screamed. Draco flinched at the high pitched noise and put his hand in the small of her back to try and calm her down.

"This is inhuman" Draco said stiffly. The guard shrugged his shoulders and stepped into the cell.

"Well it's your lucky day in't it then" the guard said, slurring his words as if drunk. "You don' have to be here no longer" he smirked.

Hermione gasped and smiled happily looking up at Draco expectantly with glee dancing in her eyes. But Draco didn't feel right. Something was wrong, they surely wouldn't let them out this easily… As he was about to start asking questions, he noticed the guard swiftly pull out his wand and pointed it at Hermione. Draco didn't have enough time to react; his brain wouldn't register the situation.

"Avada Kedavra" the guard said with an emotionless tone. Draco didn't push Hermione out the way quick enough and that all too familiar green light shot out the wand and hit her square in the chest. Her smile froze on her lips and her eyes became hollow.

Draco choked and watched as her body fell to the ground. He felt sick and his insides churned with unbearable sadness and anger. Forgetting the guard in the door, he took her still warm hand in his and let his body be overcome with sobs. His shoulders shook with grief and he licked his lips trying to remember the taste of her. He leant down and planted soft kisses all over her face in a vain attempt to wake her. She was just sleeping. She wasn't dead. Not really.

Rationality suddenly filled his mind. As tears tried to push their way out his eyes, he wouldn't let them, he needed to get revenge.

He stood up with anger blazing in his eyes. Adrenaline rushed through his bloodstream, igniting the fury inside of him. He was about to yell, scream, shout at the guard, anything that would let out his anger, however the guard spoke instead.

"Oh yeah, forgot 'bout you" the guard said lazily. Good, Draco thought. He couldn't live without Hermione. Closing his eyes, he waited for the flash of green to take him to where his pure Muggle born love now lived. He wondered if there really was an afterlife and if he would ever once again hold the frizzy haired girl he had grown to love.

The green flash never came.

"Obliviate"

* * *

Draco suddenly felt weightless, and his mind was empty of thoughts. He looked around him and saw a woman's body on the floor. He felt disgusted, why was he standing next to a dead body? Looking at the man standing in the doorway who seemed to be waiting for Draco to say something, he spoke.

"Who's that woman?" Draco asked with confusion in his voice.

The guard smiled and said cheerily, "Nobody. This way, Sir." The guard led Draco out into the dim hallway, and Draco left the cell with his head held high and the only thought that was on his mind was that he was awfully hungry and if wherever they were going had something he could eat.

Hermione's body was left in the cell. Her hair fanned out from her head around the floor and the smile of previous memories lay etched on to her porcelain face.

_Death cannot stop true love, only delay it for a while – The Princess Bride_

_**A/N - **Hope you enjoyed! I quite liked the quote at the end, I feel it was relevant. Sorry for the angsty bit at the end, I'm terrible at writing happy fanfics, I always have to have a bit more emotion in there!  
_


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